Business

Thailand has come a long way in recent years, perhaps a lot further than what many people might imagine. The economy has seen steady growth over the last 25 years with this expected to continue at between 2.9% and 3.3% between 2016 and 2018 according to The World Bank. This growth is certainly significant when you consider other countries in the region are experiencing slowing growth or are already a long...

With the Thailand 4.0 blueprint becoming a key driver of evolution towards a value economy, Thailand is set to become a centre of innovation and technology in South East Asia. Alibaba has recently announced their strategic partnership with the Thai government in support of Thailand 4.0, which will bolster developments in e-commerce and digital talent. A “Smart Digital Hub” aimed at boosting regional...

Thailand saw moderate activity last year, with subdued private investment and manufacturing virtually stagnating for the second consecutive year. Moreover, the death of King Bhumibol Adulyadej in October cast a cloud on consumer sentiment, especially due to an official year-long mourning period. However, there is a silver lining as recent indicators suggest a slight uptick in activity in Q4: exports...

A court ruling on Airbnb in Hua Hin was meant to weaken sentiment among condo buyers who buy units to rent out on a daily basis. Yet the data shows the number of daily-leasing units continues to rise. Apichart Chutrakul, chief executive of SET-listed Sansiri Plc which has developed a large number of condo projects in Bangkok and the provinces said developers cannot stop condo buyers who want to rent out...

Author: Pharadon Heemmuden Highlight The market outlook for rubberwood exports is bright thanks to an increasing supply, as well as demand, especially from China, where the furniture industry is growing. Thai rubberwood is competitive in the global market due to its price and quality. EIC sees increased potential for the local production of rubberwood furniture and other wooden products, which will...

The Thai government hopes a move to spark a shopping spree by offering tax breaks and cash handouts at the end of the year will improve economic stimulus in the fourth quarter. The cabinet approved a tax break for shopping spending or spending on services during the festive season between December 14-31. Bank of Thailand Governor Veerathai Santiprabhob said the tax breaks would be a smart short-term...

Thailand goes outbound. Thai investments abroad, also known as “Outward Foreign Direct Investments (OFDI),” have come in the focus while the domestic industry lags behind the stated targets. However, Thai-foreign business project registration clearance papers and requirements should be carefully observed. Not only Thailand’s well-known public companies act as a global player when investing in...

PricewaterhouseCoopers, one of the world’s largest professional-services firms, just released its predictions for the most powerful economies in the world by 2030. The report, titled “The long view: how will the global economic order change by 2050?” ranked 32 countries by their projected global gross domestic product by purchasing power parity. PPP is used by macroeconomists to determine...

What marketing works that doesn’t cost years of your life or thousands of dollars? How much would you pay for 1,000 new ‘targeted people’ to come to your website each month? What return on investment would you expect from it? Maybe 3-5% of these 1000 new visitors clicking your ‘Contact us page’? If say 5% of 1000 made a serious inquiry that’s 50 extra inquiries and if your business converts...

Our 2017 annual letter is addressed to our dear friend Warren Buffett, who in 2006 donated the bulk of his fortune to our foundation to fight disease and reduce inequity. A few months ago, Warren asked us to reflect on what impact his gift has had on the world. What follows is our answer to him. It’s a story about the stunning gains the poorest people in the world have made over the last 25 years. This...